The Stray
by Kiwi Katalyst
Summary: Reiko brings home a stray dog, hoping Sephiroth won't notice until the morning. But then the puppy gets into the bedroom and wakes up the silver haired angel. Will the puppy live to see another day?


**A/N:** This is just a short oneshot/drabble I wrote to kill some boredom at four in the morning. XD It's rather pointless, but it does give some background information about Masaru. I do plan on adding Masaru to my actual fic.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Final Fantasy VII or Sephiroth or anything else from the series.

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The house was quite and Sephiroth was in bed, but Reiko on the other hand wasn't. She was even inside the house. No. She was outside, walking up the driveway with something in her hand. She quietly came to the front door and dug in her purse for her keys. Carefully she put the key in and turned the lock as quietly as she could. She didn't want Sephiroth to wake up, it would mean trouble for her. Reiko pushed the door open just enough for her to stick her head inside. She looked around, making sure the coast was clear before opening the door wider. She slipped inside, being careful not to bump what she was carrying on the doorframe.

Once she was safely in the house, she closed the door and flicked the kitchen light on. She looked down at what was in her arms and smiled. "Alright, buddy. Welcome to your new home." Reiko scratched the head of the puppy she was cradling before she set him down.

Reiko went to the sink and grabbed a plastic dish and filled it with water. She set it on the floor and the puppy scurried over to it. She watched the adorable creature lap up the water like a thirsty wolf. "You poor thing." She said softly. Reiko opened the refrigerator and looked for something a puppy could eat. She spotted a dish of left over grilled chicken and pulled it out. She heated it up a little and pulled the meat apart into small pieces that the puppy wouldn't choke on. She set the dish down and let him have at it.

The puppy seemed to be a mutt, possibly a mix of pit bull and German shepherd, though he looked more like a pit. This pup had a rust colored brindle coat and a white underbelly. He had amber eyes and a shiny black nose. The toes on his paws were white and his ears weren't floppy like a pit's but erect like a shepherd's. His muzzle wasn't as long as a shepherd's and his body was stocky like a pit's. He wasn't very big and only weighed about fifteen pounds, but Reiko knew he would get much bigger and quickly.

"Wait here, fella." She said to the pup who paid her no mind. Reiko walked down the hall quietly and peered into the bedroom. Sephiroth was asleep as he should be. She crept into the room, crossing it carefully. She came to her closet and grabbed a blanket from the top shelf. She crept back out and pulled the door in just a bit.

Reiko went back to the kitchen to set up the puppy's bed, but when she got there the puppy was gone. She dropped the blanket and spun around searching for the puppy. "Oh no. Where did you go? If Seph finds you... I'm dead." She searched the dining room, getting down on her hands and knees to look under the table. He wasn't there. She searched the living room, he wasn't there either.

She was in Sephiroth's study when she heard a startled cry come from the bedroom. "Shit." She whispered and rushed down the hall and into the bedroom. She flicked the lights on only to see an angry Sephiroth staring at her with piercing green eyes. In his hand he held the puppy. The poor thing must have been terrified because it was shaking and whining.

Reiko stepped into the room, but stopped when Sephiroth narrowed his eyes at her. "Seph, I can explain."

"Then explain. Because I'd love to know why there is a mangy mutt in my bed." He held the puppy out for emphasis.

"One, he's not mangy, he's just starved. And two, that's _our_ bed."

"Reiko!" He was definitely angry. If Reiko knew one thing, it was that Sephiroth didn't like animals.

Reiko cringed at his tone. "Okay okay. I found him on the street. He was tied up to a lamppost near a restaurant. I couldn't just leave him there. He needed someone to love him. Take care of him. I mean look at him. He's nothing but skin and bones." She came closer to the bed and leaned over to take the puppy from him. The dog was happy to be with her and cuddled close to her. "Please, Seph, can we keep him? He needs a good home." She asked while petting the puppy to calm it.

Sephiroth looked at the puppy. He really didn't like animals and having one in the house would only mean trouble. But then he looked at Reiko's pleading eyes and wondered how he could say no to her. He ran a hand through his long locks and sighed. "If we're going to keep him we'll have to name him." He said with a small smile.

Reiko's face lit up. She wrapped her free arm around Sephiroth and kissed him. "Oh thank you, Seph!" She bounced with joy and brought the puppy up to her face. "You're one lucky dog. Now, what to call you?"

"Monster." Seph suggested and pulled the bed sheets away from his body. He crossed the room and entered the bathroom. Reiko followed him, puppy in hand.

"Monster? Why Monster?" She leaned against the doorframe and watched as he brushed his silver hair.

"Because that's what he is." Seph said as if it were a fact.

Reiko rolled her eyes. "You're a monster." Her voice was flat as if she was trying to be cold.

Sephiroth raised one silver brow and looked at her through the mirror. "Oh really? Then tell me, why did this monster take you in when you needed a place to go?" He turned to face her. "I'll tell you why, because I love you. And I'm letting that puppy stay here not because I want him here, but because I love you."

"You're still a monster to me. And you know what I'm talking about." She winked at him. "But thank you. For everything." She smiled at him and stood on the tips of her toes to give him a quick kiss on the lips.

Sephiroth took her free hand and led her back into the bedroom. He sat on the bed and patted the space beside him. Reiko sat beside him and laid the puppy in her lap. He turned on his back, offering his belly to her. A giggle left her lips as she rubbed the puppy's belly. He wriggled about in her lap and looked up at her with gleaming eyes.

"Isn't he adorable?" She said, not expecting an answer.

"Adorable. Right." Sephiroth rolled his eyes. "So what are you going to name him?"

Reiko bit her lip in thought. She really didn't know what to name the puppy. She looked down at him, trying out names on him in her head. Nothing seemed to fit. "I don't know. Nothing comes to mind, well nothing that'll work."

Suddenly the puppy jumped out of Reiko's lap and ran into Sephiroth's closet. Immediately, Sephiroth chased after him, Reiko following to make sure he didn't hurt the puppy. What they found had them both staring in disbelief. The puppy had a sheathed Masamune in his mouth, dragging it to them by one end. Sephiroth moved to grab his prized sword from the dog, but Reiko was faster. She grabbed the puppy, leaving the sword behind. That sword did not like her in the slightest. It's been known to burn her hands if she tried to touch it. Sephiroth claimed his sword, checking the sheath for damage. There were a few bit marks, but nothing too upsetting.

"I have the perfect name for him." Reiko said as she nuzzled the puppy.

"Trouble?" Sephiroth said while replacing his blade where it belonged.

"No." She shot cold eyes at him before returning to the puppy. "Masaru, Masa for short. It means 'victory' in Japanese."

"You chose that name because he touched my sword, didn't you." He asked even though he knew the answer. Reiko was quite predictable at times.

"Yep!" She beamed. "It's perfect, right?"

Sephiroth laughed. "If you say so, love." Sephiroth walked past her and out of the closet. He looked over his shoulder and said, "Find him a place to sleep and come to bed. We'll go shopping tomorrow and get all the things he needs."

Reiko smiled at Masaru and set him down. "Let's go put your bed together." She said and walked out to the kitchen. She formed a makeshift bed out of a blanket and some throw pillows. Masaru looked at the bed, but refused to get in it. "What's the matter boy?" Reiko titled her head in question. Masaru dashed off, heading back to the bedroom. Reiko ran after him but she was too late. Masaru was already in the bed, curled up on her side of the bed.

"He doesn't want to sleep in the kitchen I take it." Sephiroth propped himself up on his elbows to look at Reiko.

"Nope." Reiko shook her head. "I'll just set his bed up here then." And so she did. She put the makeshift bed in one corner of the room near her side of the bed, that way she could keep an eye on him. She closed both of the closets and shut the bathroom door. She didn't want Masaru getting into anymore trouble tonight.

"There. This should do until tomorrow. You'll have a better bed then." She gave Masaru a quick kiss. "Sleep tight, Masa."

Reiko changed and climbed into bed, cuddling close to her silver haired angel. "Thank you, Seph. This means a lot to both me and Masa."

Sephiroth pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. "You're welcome, love."


End file.
